Repair Projects

Orchard Barn, Ringshall

When we first visited Orchard Barn in 2008 it was to carry out some repairs to the barn as well as assess the collapsed house frame also on the site. Soon we became part of the set-up there and Rick led four week long hands-on training courses in timber frame repairs. The progress continued in subsequent years where Rick has led practical courses in both repairs and new framing and all done entirely by hand!

The site is very much “off-grid” so each course has been designed to use ancient techniques as well as many ancient tools in the hope that it stimulates a further understanding of the skills of our forebears and that simple vernacular carpentry is rightly valued as much as the higher status work of the past. In 2010 Orchard Barn Environmental Education and Rick organised four week-long practical courses in ancient roof-framing techniques and the various students hand-converted timbers from a nearby ancient woodland to make a simple clasped purlin roof. The roof frame was researched and designed to complement the existing wall frames and once raised it was clad with 20,000 hand-cleft oak shingles also cut by students and volunteers.

The site is now in regular use for all manner of inspiring projects, check their website www.orchardbarn.org.uk/ and see what’s coming up.

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